Treatment‐seeking behavior and cardiovascular morbidity among men with anabolic‐androgenic steroid use: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

AbstractAimsTo determine associations between anabolic‐androgenic steroid (AAS) use‐related morbidity including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and engagement to health services.MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, 90 males with at least 12 months cumulative current or former use of AAS were included. The participants were divided into a treatment‐seeking group (TSG) and a non‐treatment seeking group (non‐TSG) based on their responses to a self‐report web questionnaire. All participants were screened for symptoms that could be indicative of CVD through a clinical interview, and examined with blood samples, blood pressure measurements and transthoracic echocardiography.ResultsIn the total sample (n = 90), mean age was 39 ± 11 years with cumulative AAS use of 12 ± 9 years. Among men in the TSG with current use there were higher prevalence of dyspnoea (50% vs 7%) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in conjunction with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (36 vs. 9%) and/or high blood pressure (55% vs. 19%) compared to men in the non‐TSG. Among men with current AAS use and established LVEF <50% (n = 25) or LVH (n = 21), 44% (11) and 43% (9) respectively, had never engaged health services due to AAS‐related adverse effects. Deviant liver‐ and kidney parameters were frequently observed in the total sample but without between‐group differences.ConclusionsTreatment‐seeking behavior among current AAS users may be associated with increased levels of dyspnoea and established CVD. Despite objective signs of severe CVD among a substantial amount of study participants, it is of great concern that the majority had never sought treatment for AAS‐related concerns.